Biopsychology Lecture Review

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts from the Biopsychology lecture, including nervous system cells, brain structures, neuron communication, and imaging techniques.

Nature

Refers to an individual's biology and genetics.

Nurture

Refers to an individual's social and physical environment.

Biopsychology

The scientific study of how biology influences behavior and mental processes.

Nervous System

A network of specialized cells that carry information throughout the body.

Glia Cells

Cells that provide scaffolding for the nervous system, facilitate neuronal communication, insulate neurons, transport nutrients and waste products, and mediate immune responses.

Neurons

Essential cells for all tasks of the nervous system, sending and receiving messages throughout the body.

Soma

The cell body of the neuron responsible for maintaining the life of the cell.

Nucleus

Contains genetic material (DNA), which is basic information to manufacture all the proteins characteristic of that cell.

Dendrites

Parts of the neuron that receive messages from other neurons.

Axon

Carries the neural message from the cell body to the axon terminals for communication with other cells.

Axon Terminals

Ends of axonal branches of the neuron, specialized for communication between cells.

Synaptic Vesicles

Structures within axon terminals that store neurotransmitters.

Myelin Sheath

A fatty substance that coats the axons of neurons to insulate, protect, and speed up the neural impulse.

Nerve Impulse

An electrical signal that passes from one neuron to the next, facilitating communication.

Neurotransmitters

Chemical messengers found in the synaptic vesicles that, when released, have an effect on the next cell.

Synapse

The space between the terminal button of one neuron and the dendrite of another neuron.

Reuptake

Process by which neurotransmitters are taken back into the synaptic vesicles of the neuron that released them, clearing the synapse.

Resting Potential

The state of readiness when a neuron is not firing a neural impulse.

Threshold of Excitation

The level of charge in the neuron membrane that causes the neuron to become active.

Action Potential

The release of the neural impulse, which is an electrical signal moving down the neuron's axon.

All-or-none principle

States that an incoming signal is either sufficient to reach the threshold of excitation or it is not, causing an action potential to either occur fully or not at all.

Psychotropic medications

Drugs that treat psychiatric symptoms by restoring neurotransmitter balance.

Agonist

A substance that mimics or enhances the effects of a neurotransmitter.

Antagonist

A substance that blocks or reduces the effects of a neurotransmitter.

Acetylcholine

A neurotransmitter important for learning, memory, and skeletal muscle movement; associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

Serotonin

A neurotransmitter that influences mood, hunger, sleep/arousal; associated with depression.

Dopamine

A neurotransmitter important for movement and frontal lobe activity; associated with schizophrenia (high) and Parkinson’s disease (low).

Central Nervous System (CNS)

Composed of the brain and spinal cord.

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

The part of the nervous system that connects the CNS to the rest of the body.

Somatic Nervous System

Relays sensory and motor information to and from the CNS, controlling skeletal muscles and conscious, voluntary activities.

Autonomic Nervous System

Controls involuntary muscles, organs, and glands.

Sympathetic Nervous System

Responsible for reacting to stressful events and bodily arousal ('Fight or Flight').

Parasympathetic Nervous System

Restores the body to normal functioning after arousal; responsible for day-to-day organ and gland functioning ('Rest and Digest').

Homeostasis

The tendency toward a relatively stable equilibrium between interdependent elements, especially as maintained by physiological processes.

Spinal Cord

Delivers messages to and from the brain and has its own system of reflexes.

Brain

Comprised of billions of interconnected neurons and glia, serving as the control center of the nervous system.

Lateralization

The concept that each hemisphere of the brain is associated with specialized functions.

Corpus Callosum

A thick band of neural fibers that connects the left and right hemispheres of the brain.

Forebrain

The largest part of the brain, containing the cerebral cortex and subcortical structures like the thalamus and limbic system.

Midbrain

A small part of the brain located between the forebrain and hindbrain, involved in motor movement, sensory processes, and sleep/wake cycles.

Hindbrain

Located at the back of the head and resembling an extension of the spinal cord, containing the medulla, pons, and cerebellum.

Cerebral Cortex

The surface of the brain associated with our highest mental capabilities such as consciousness, thought, emotion, reasoning, language, and memory, broken into four lobes.

Frontal Lobe

Involved in executive functioning (planning, judgment, attention, reasoning), motor control, emotion, personality, and language.

Parietal Lobe

Involved in processing various sensory and perceptual information, such as touch, temperature, and pain.

Occipital Lobe

Associated with visual processing, containing the primary visual cortex.

Temporal Lobe

Associated with hearing, memory, emotion, and some aspects of language.

Somatosensory Cortex

A strip of cortex in the parietal lobe essential for processing sensory information from across the body (touch, temperature, pain).

Auditory Cortex

A strip of cortex in the temporal lobe responsible for processing auditory information.

Wernicke's Area

An area in the temporal lobe important for speech comprehension.

Primary Visual Cortex

Located in the occipital lobe, responsible for interpreting incoming visual information.

Motor Cortex

Located in the frontal lobe, involved in planning and coordinating movement.

Prefrontal Cortex

Located in the frontal lobe, responsible for higher-level cognitive functioning.

Broca's Area

An area in the frontal lobe essential for language production.

Aphasia

A language disorder that affects one’s ability to communicate, caused by brain damage.

Wernicke's Aphasia

A language disorder caused by damage to Wernicke's area, resulting in difficulty understanding language despite being able to produce speech.

Broca's Aphasia

A language disorder caused by damage to Broca's area, leading to difficulties producing language and speech impairment.

Thalamus

A subcortical structure known as the 'relay center of the brain,' where most senses are routed before being directed to other brain areas for processing.

Limbic System

A group of brain structures involved in mediating emotional responses and memory.

Amygdala

Part of the limbic system involved in our experience of emotion, tying emotional meaning to memories, and processing fear.

Hippocampus

Part of the limbic system essential for learning and memory.

Hypothalamus

Part of the limbic system that regulates homeostatic processes including body temperature, appetite, and blood pressure, and is attached to the pituitary gland.

Pons

A part of the hindbrain (brain stem) that connects the brain and the spinal cord, involved in regulating brain activity during sleep.

Medulla

A part of the hindbrain (brain stem) that controls automated processes like breathing, blood pressure, and heart rate.

Cerebellum

A part of the hindbrain that controls our balance, coordination, movement, and motor skills, and is important in processing some types of memory.

Reticular Formation

A part of the midbrain important in regulating the sleep/wake cycle, arousal, alertness, and motor activity.

Substantia Nigra & Ventral Tegmental Area (VTA)

Parts of the midbrain involved in the control of movement, mood, reward, and addiction.

CT Scan (Computerized Tomography)

A brain imaging technique that uses x-rays to create images showing brain tumors or other structural abnormalities.

PET Scan (Position Emission Tomography)

A brain imaging technique where small amounts of radiation are injected and tracked to show brain activity based on blood flow.

MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)

A brain imaging technique that uses a giant magnet to align atoms in the brain, producing a detailed picture of brain structures.

fMRI (Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging)

A brain imaging technique that measures blood oxygenation to show brain activity, indicating which areas are more active.

EEG (Electroencephalogram)

A brain imaging technique that studies brain waves by placing electrodes on the scalp to record electrical activity produced by firing neurons.